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A Marble Falls officer who was badly injured in an Independence Day crash with an intoxicated boater sought a meeting with the boater to thank him for his assistance after the crash, according to the Burnet County district attorney.

Still unable to work after suffering a broken shoulder, fractured vertebra, broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and bleeding in his brain, police Capt. Ted Young and his wife, Patricia, proposed a plea deal that means the boater will spend about four months in jail, instead of up to 20 years in prison.

On Oct. 19, Judge Allan Garrett sentenced the boater, James “Hank” Fry, to 10 years in prison, but ultimately suspended that sentence. Instead, Fry will serve 120 days in the Burnet County Jail and 10 years of probation, District Attorney Sonny McAfee said.

In the meeting, Fry apologized to Marble Falls police Capt. Ted Young and his wife, Patricia Young, who was also on the boat at the time, McAfee said. They approved the suspended sentence for Fry.

“Capt. Young has had several serious surgeries following the collision and has not yet been able to return to his full duties as police captain,” McAfee said. “However, those concerns were clearly secondary to their appreciation for assistance after the collision.”

The crash happened July 4, 2015, police have said. Fry ran over the police boat with his boat, striking Capt. Young, who fell into the water. The force of the collision broke Young’s shoulder, fractured a vertebra of his spine, broke several ribs, lacerated his spleen and caused bleeding in his brain.

Fry, along with his wife, drove back to the wrecked police boat, McAfee said. Fry pulled Young from the water and helped get the boat back to the dock.

Fry was found to be intoxicated. After the meeting with the Youngs, Fry accepted the plea deal and pleaded guilty to intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury to a peace officer, McAfee said.

“I certainly appreciate Patricia and Ted Young thinking of this solution, and I appreciate (Fry’s lawyer’s) willingness to not only allow, but to encourage his client and his client’s wife to participate,” McAfee said. “I believe justice was served when Judge Garrett approved the proposed agreement.”